My sister and I are similar in many ways, but different in many more ways. We both hate/hated high school, but for very different reasons. We both have struggled with issues with ourselves, but for different reasons (emotional, physical, etc.) Sometimes it's hard for me to talk to her about what's going on in her life. I desperately wanted her high school experience to be different than mine. I wanted her to enjoy her four years there and to have a great group of friends whom she can stay in touch with for the rest of her life.
I generally force her to do things in her high school years that I missed out on or did not enjoy during my years. Sometimes she hates me for it, but I hope that she understands that I am her big sister and even though we fight a lot, I want to take care of her and make sure she has a good time in high school, sports, and whatever else she does.
I get really upset when something happens to any of my sisters, and even though it might not seem like it, i try to protect them as best I can. It doesn't seem that way, though, because I try to separate myself from their situations because otherwise I get too emotionally involved. It hurts me to see them in pain, it hurts me when they are dealing with friend problems, it makes me sad when I see them cry.
I cried when I saw my little sister, Liana, all dressed up and looking beautiful for prom. She looked absolutely stunning. My step sisters, Caitlin and Kelley, do other things in their lives that I am so proud of them for. I love all my sisters, and I am so lucky to have them in my life.
Liana and I have an interesting relationship. Maybe it's the same as other sister relationships, I don't know. but I do know that we fight and scream at each other like no other, but I love her beyond anything else, ever. We have two extremes: love and hate. Anything we do together, it's either a great experience or it is an awful experience.
Tonight was one of those great experiences. We've had good conversations, enjoyed spending time together, and now we're sitting on my bed watching "Rachel Getting Married" with Anne Hathaway. I love having these nights with my sister.
We went to Borders where I got a bunch of books and she looked at me like I was crazy (and maybe I am crazy) and even though she complains about how long it takes me to go through the racks and racks of books, and then through the basket of 50 books that I pick out initially, she loves doing it with me. It's those kind of things, spending an hour and a half in Borders or Target or Longs, that we love to do together.
I love that my little sister gets along with my friends too. Today she told me that she and the rest of my family really like Luke. That meant so much to me. My family's opinions and impressions of my friends are so important to me. They have such a good read on the people around me. By telling me that she likes Luke, Liana was giving me a confidence boost that I was making the correct decision in dating a guy that I care about a lot. Sometimes it's hard to know what the right decision is, or it's hard to know if somebody is good for you or not. That is something that Liana is struggling with. I hope that some day she'll learn, as I did, that her family actually does know best when it comes to our choices in friends, guys, or whoever we choose to include in our lives.
Liana and Maryn have a very good relationship. Liana looks forward to visiting me partially because it means she gets to talk to Mare. I don't blame her. Maryn gives wonderful advice on all aspects of life. What is even better is that Maryn cares about Liana and is willing to give her honest opinion and advice on whatever is going on in her life. Tonight was one of those conversation times. I thank Maryn for her support of my little sister. Mare has dealt with my problems for the past seven or eight years, and now she is supportive of my little sister. That is the defintion of a true friend.
Sometimes Liana is hard to get along with; at least for me. When Luke, and Anthony before him, were trying to get to know my family they weren't sure whether Liana liked them or not because she would make fun of them. I told them, "If Liana wasn't making fun of you I'd be worried." She just turned to me, without knowing I was writing this blog, and said "You know I really do like Luke, right? I just make fun of him because he likes 'Enders Game' and laffy taffy." Case in point.
She is so fun loving most of the time, it makes me sad when she is unhappy. I know she struggles a lot but I want her to know that I'm always there for her. I love her unconditionally; I always have and I always will.
I had so much fun with her tonight at Borders, Pita Pit, watching Dancing With The Stars, getting Yogurt Creations with Luke, talking to my room mates, and now watching Rachel Getting Married. We are sitting next to each other on my bed, I'm cuddled up in the blanket she made me for Christmas writing this blog, and Liana is wearing my dad's old practice football jersey, wrapped in a Disney Princess blanket (so characteristic of Liana), doing the People magazine crowssword puzzle book with a green Sharpie. Tonight was wonderful. I'm so glad she came.
I would write more about my sister, but I don't know how much she actually wants me to share with random people online. I will say, again, that I love her.
I'm going to end this blog with a list of the books I bought at Borders just because I'm so proud of my purchases. I got a bunch of books for a grand total of $58. I had a gift card for $50, though, so it wasn't even that much of my own money! Also, most of them were on sale and if you buy two books on sale, you get a third one for free! That's a great deal.
Like I said, Liana rolled her eyes at me when I was making my book decisions. Then, when I showed Maryn, Rene, Ashley, and Luke my books, they all did the same. Oh well, I love books. I love book stores. And I think that out of anything I could spend money on, books are a great choice.
Books I bought:
- You Can't Get There From Here by Gayle Forman (Written by a journalst about different effects of globalization... the description sounded entertaining)
- The Land of Mango Sunsets by Dorthea Benton Frank (about a woman getting her life together after her husband left her... I just really liked the title... I know, I know, never judge a book by its cover)
- The Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazer (made into a TV series with Deborah Messing, yet again about a woman living her life after her husband left her)
- Howards End by E.M. Forster (an English novel about families whose lives are intertwined at a country house in England)
- Ten Eternal Questions by Zoe Sallis (ten thought provoking questions asked to famous people like Bono, Nelson mandela, Jack Nicholson, etc. meant to make you reflect upon your own life)
- Delicious Cupcakes (box with recipes, cups, and frosting decorating tools)
- The New Stir Fry Cookbook
- Fantastic Cocktails and Mixed Drinks
- Chicken Recipes
- The Essential Fingerfood Cookbook
- 500 Twenty-Minute Recipes
- The Food of Spain
There were some books that I saw on the shelves that I didn't buy because I didn't have enough money. I read the backs of a lot of the books as I was going through the shelves and they looked good. I'm the kind of person who reads the title of a book and then I decide if I will like the book based on how much I like the title. Also, there are books that I want to read that my sister has read or that have been recommended to me. Here is a list of them:
- A Lesson Before Dying (I might have already read this book, but I don't quite remember)
- Kindred
- Picking Cotton (I have this one because Liana read it and is lending it to me, it is one of the next books on my list)
- Cocktails For Three by Madeleine Wickham
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- 1984
- Ninteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (and other Jodi Picoult books)
- The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish
- The Great Gatsby
- Angels and Demons (I've just started it. I want to read it before the movie comes out)
Love.
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